Canto de Iemanjá

Baden Powell recorded Canto de Iemanjá in 1966, together with Vinícius de Moraes and Quarteto em Cy. The song is part of the album Os Afro-sambas, a project that blends samba with African rhythms. The piece has a gentle rhythm, with instruments that intertwine as if they were talking to each other. The lyrics speak of a river, of a sea god, of a woman who carries water in her arms. It is a song that moves between the deep and the mysterious, as if telling a story that has been repeated since forever. Vinícius's voice becomes soft, as if he were singing to someone who is no longer there. The melody feels light, yet at the same time weighs as heavily as the water that Iemanjá carries. It is a song that can be played at home, that can be felt in the body, that can be carried in the head.